I need to dispatch 2 roosters!

[Sunny Side Up]

Well, this is a topic that every chicken owner needs to address, even if you don't plan on dispatching chickens for your table. Sometimes you'll have a bird that is so sick or injured that it needs to be helped Across The Road for their own benefit. And sometimes you have birds that are causing trouble with the rest of the flock or with its humans.

Many folks will happily dispatch an aggressive rooster and make a meal of him. If you can't or don't want to do that it's okay. You can find someone in your area who would welcome your unwanted birds for that purpose. Otherwise, figure out what method you can manage, and bury the bodies as fertilizer for some fortunate plants.

Try covering the bird's face with a sock so you aren't seeing its eyes as you kill it.

 

[stirkle]

Love the yokohama! I want one myself or else a malay...

Yea that guide to killing made me slightly queazy but good guide...

Im sure ill manage to do it somehow... funnily the roos that are causing most trouble are crossed with a cream elegbar and a welsummer

 

[mcostas]

I used a large sharp knife similar to a bowie, a machete would do as well. I put 2 nails on an old picnik table, angled and kind of close together, that's for the head.

Then I got a small bungie and secured it so it stretched across the nails, that's to pin the head down.

Then you put your roosters head between the nails and stretch the bungie over it. Place the knife behind the head and whack it with a mallet or hammer.


I think it's impossible to mess up this way, even if the head does not lop off on the first strike, it still severs the cord and kills the chicken. After the first one we got smart and threw the body in a large empty trash can so it wouldn't flop far. I was not prepared for the amount of flopping.

I was also not prepared for the clucking, even after the chicken was skinned. Apparently the vocal cords are way down there and will make noise when any air is squeezed through. Don't be alarmed, it does not mean the chicken is still alive.


I just did my 3 roosters yesterday. It was like a dark cloud hanging over our weekend, we needed to get it over with. We did it quickly and they hardly struggled. I hated to do it, they were such beautiful birds, but a rooster is still a rooster.

We had half the meat last night and froze half. The birds were dark brahmas. The legs and thighs were pretty big! The breast meat was good but the dark meat, well it wasn't that good. I will eat it anyway cause my boys gave their life. I'll make stew with the frozen portion, I tried a cassarole last night.

 

[farmerChef]

You need to make sure you let the meat 'age' for at least 8 hours before you cook it or it will be tough.